The Czech Republic enjoyed a winning start to their EURO campaign against Scotland with a 0-2 victory. While 10 men Poland started with a loss against Slovakia 2-1 in Group E at St Petersburg.
Czech Republic defeated Scotland by two unanswered goals in the Group D match on Euro 2020. Patrick Schick, who scored a brace, became the star of the match with his stunning halfway-line goal in the 52nd minutes of the game.
Scotland, who found a spot in a major tournament after 23 years, could not start the campaign off with a win. Around 12000 fans Scots created best chances throughout the first half but often missed them in the finish.
Shick’s first goal came in the first half in the 42nd minute when he turned Vladimir Coufal’s cross into the back of the net. And his remarkable second goal had been born out of a counterattack. Taking advantage of misplaced Marshell, Schick shot a long-range from 49.7 yards and ensured a place in history as the longest-range strike.
What was said?
Scotland coach Clarke refused to blame his goalkeeper for conceding the goal.
“If [Marshall] had been on his line he would have caught it but sometimes you have to credit the goalscorer,” Clarke told an online news conference after the clash at Hampden Park.
“Disappointed but we have to get ready for the next one. We’ll look at what we did right and what we did wrong. We didn’t come here for a learning experience, we came here to be competitive.
“Sometimes a football match doesn’t go your way and today was that day.” He added.
What next?
Scotland next faces England at Wembley on Friday, while the Czech Republic takes on Croatia at Hampden Park earlier on the same day.
Slovakia’s shock victory over Poland
Slovakia records a shock victory over 10-man Poland in their Euro 2020 Group E opener in Saint Petersburg.
Slovakia bossed the first half and was fully deserving of a half-time lead after Robert Mak’s shot hit off the post and rebounded, onto the back of Wojciech Szczesny into the net. Poland struck back almost immediately after the interval as Karol Linetty turned in Maciej Rybus’ cross from the left flank’.
The Poles were dominant for around 15 minutes after interval until Grzegorz Krychowiak was sent off for two yellow cards in the 62nd –minute. The dismissal changed the momentum of the game and Skriniar and Slovakia took full advantage seven minutes later.
Poland reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, failed to have a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes and Robert Lewandowski had scored 48 goals for Bayern Munich in the 2020-21 season was kept quiet a superb display from the Slovakia defense.
What was said?
Slovakia boss Stefan Tarkovic was full of praise for his side after their win over Poland.
“We managed to neutralize Lewandowski and score at the same time,” Tarkovic said. “Lewandowski plays a decisive role in the last third of the field, it was important to keep him out of the box.”
Added goalscorer and Man of the Match Skriniar: “He is one of the best, if not the best striker inthe world. We prepared well for him and worked well as a team today.”
Lewandowski believes that his team missed an opportunity to win against the weakest opponent in the group.
“We lost to the theoretically weakest opponent in the group, which puts us in a difficult position,”.
“But we will do everything in our hands to perform better in the next games,” he told TVP
What next?
Slovakia stays in St Petersburg and faces Sweden on Friday before Poland plays against Spain in Seville on Saturday.
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